Apparatus for treating sheet material



Oct. 13, 1936. G. c. BORDEN. JR

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHEET MATERIAL Fi led Oct. 20, 1934 IlTI? INVENTOR UNIED STATES PATENT OFFKIE APPARATUS FOR TREATING SHEET MATERIAL George C. Borden, Jr., Riegelsville, Pa., assignor to Riegel Paper Corporation, Riegelsville, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application October 20, 1934, Serial No. 749,142

17 Claims. (Cl. 91-18) practical and what I now consider to be the best embodiment of my new washing apparatus as associated with a conventional coating tower; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the wash-pan, showing the same in vertical longitudinal section. 5

Referring to the drawing, I indicates the coating tower, and 2 indicates the sheet of paper or other material which, as usual, is drawn from a reel 3 over a carrying roll 4, coating roll 5 and carrying roll 6, and thence up through one chaml ber and down through the other chamber of the This invention relates primarily to sheet material, paper for example, which is coated with a solution of nitrocellulose or other suitable filmforming material and a crystallizable compound dissolved in a common vaporizable solvent, with or without the addition of a coloring agent, and when coated is treated first to evaporate the solvent, set the coating and form the crystals therein and then, by heat, solvents, or otherwise, to remove, or largely remove, the crystals so formed to thereby convert the coating into an ornamental surfacing film having a crystalline configured g zg z gg g i fiwg a fggg i gg l f and intaglio; and the specific object thereof is to Instead yhoilever of being (ganged over the provide apparatus for conveniently cheaply and upper end of the central partition on a carrying 15 efiectively dissolving and washing out the crysroll or mus mounted immeaiately below the tals so formed in such an ornamental surface closed top of tower, the sheet on reaching coatmg or the top of the tower is passed through a suit- A so'caned coat-mg tower heretofore i able slot in its top covering and carried over a develop? and used P t treatmg head roll I2 and a carrying roll l3 to and through 20 the coatings, of various kinds, applied for one my new Washing apparatus and thence over purpose or another to sheet material, the tower rying rolls l5 and '6 back to the second or being divided by a central partition into two fiues down chamber of the tower through a second or vertical chambers both of which are suitably slot in the top covering heated and through which the sheet as coated is This supplementary apparatus, which is suit 25 continuously carried, first within one chamber ably mounted in position adjacent the upper end to the top of the tower and thence over the upper f the tower, either upon the tower itself or end of the partition and down through the other otherwise as may be found most convenient, comchamber to the bOttom thejreofprises the wash-pan H and a domed cover ll My new apparatus, WhlCh although capabl therefor. The wash-pan, of the same width as 3 of other uses and in other connections can be the tower or at least f a width to accommodate conveniently associated with the top of a coatthe sheet to be treated, is divided into a 1 ing tower such as that briefly described, conmlity f compartments g3 g9 and 29 by transsists essentially, of Wash-Pan Preferably verse double-walled partitions 2i and 22 which E .vided into a plurality of COmPaTPmBntS through are of progressively increasing height so that the which the sheet, after the coatmg has Set and wash solvent after entering and filling the outer the crystals have fo me t e is carried in compartment 20 will overflow therefrom into the Contact Wlth and Washed by a body of a ,Suitable adjoining compartment l9 and after filling the crystal solvent moving therethrough in countersame will overfl w th efr m into the inner current to the travel of the sheet and progrespartment d between the double walls of 40 40 Sively heated to a higher and higher temperathese partitions are mounted heating coils 23 and ture, and it preferably comprises, as subsidiary 24 which are supplied with steam in any suitable features, means o ously r m from manner (not shown) and are adapted to heat the the used solvent the crystalline material'held in olvent in compartment to a temperature of solution therein and returning the recovered 501- 110 F" for example, and to furth r heat, some 45 vent to the wash-pan for further use, means for 20 or say to a temperature f 130 F" before spraying the sheet after it has been washed with t leaves cgmpartment g3 The coated Sheet the so vent flo g t o the -D With terial after leaving the carrying roll E3 is passed fresh solvent, and means for at least partially through mt bl lot in the cover H and drying and deodorizing the sheet after it has thence is carried downwardly and upwardly 50 been so sprayed. through the successive compartments of the The invention will be understood by reference wash-pan over carrying rolls 25, 26, 21, 28, and to the accompanying drawing, in which 29 which are respectively joumaled at each end Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating in hanger bars 30, 3t, 32, 33, and 34 (only one partly in elevation and partly in section. one of each shown) fixed at their upper ends to.the 66 lip of the cover and an angle iron 35 with which this lip is framed. From the carrying roll 29 the sheet is drawn up to the upper part of compartment 20 and thence past and in engagement with first a pair of wiping bars 36 and 31 and then a pair of wiping rolls 38 and 39 all supported at their ends in plates 40 (only one shown) also attached to the lip of the cover and its framing angle iron, the rolls 38 and 39 being preferably connected at one end by gears 4|, 42 (shown only in dotted lines) and power-driven inany suit-' able manner (not shown).

The fluid solventa solvent which will dissolve the crystals formed in, but will not materially affect the lacquer base of, the coating film-is delivered to the apparatus from a supply tank 43, provided with supply and overflow pipes 44 and 45, by apump 46 through pipe 4'1 and two headers 48 and 49 which extend transversely across the wash-pan over compartment 20 and are respectively equipped with spray nozzles 50 and 5| arranged'to deliver the solvent in a spray against the opposite sides of the sheet shortly before these sides engage the wiping rolls 38 and 39 respectively. The solvent so supplied successively fills and then flows through the compartments below the top of the adjacent partition; and, for

the recovery both of the solvent and of the material of the crystals held in solution therein, the hot and now saturated solution is conducted from the outlet port of the wash-pan by a pipe 53 to the uppermost of a series of connected cooling pans 54, of the usual or any suitable type, in which the crystalline matter held in solution is precipitated out in crystals and removed for further use, and from the lowermost pan the recovered solvent is drawn through the pipe 55 to the intake of a pump 56 by which it is forced through the pipe 51 and inlet port 58 into the upper part of compartment 20, to recirculate through the wash-pan. Suitably stoppered drain outlets 59, 60 and SI are provided in the bottoms ofthe respective compartmentsv by means of which thewash-pan may be emptied whenever required.

The apparatus,- as shown is further provid with a drying chamber 62, suitably mounted abo e the wash-pan, through which the coated and now solvent-washed sheet 2is conducted after passing through a slot in the domed cover I 1 and from which the sheet is returned to the second or down chamber of the coating tower over the previously mentioned carrying rolls l4, l5 and Is. An exhaust fan onblower 53, mounted as upon a platform at the back .of the tower and suitably driven (by means not shown), draws hot air from one of the compartments of the tower through a'duct 64 (indicated in dotted lines) and forces it through a pipe 65 to a pair of trans verse headers 66 and 61 provided with perforations through which the air is blown against the opposite side of the sheet, the hot air and fumes being exhausted by the fan from the top of the chamber through a duct 68.

The operation of the apparatus, which will be obvious from the explanations already given, may be briefly recapitulated as follows: The sheet, a sheet 'of paper for instance, is drawn from a reel and as it passes over the coating roll 5 is coated with a lacquer solution containing, for example, a

nitrocellulose base and phthalic anhydride as crystallizable material. The paper so coated then passes upwardly through one chamber of the tower which is steam-heated to the required temperature so that when the paper reaches the head roll 12 the solvent of the solution has been evaporated, the coating dried and the crystals formed therein. The paper is then carried down and up through the successive compartments of the wash-pan and in its travel is continuously washed by the fluid solvent, toluol for instance (preliminarily supplied from the tank through the spray nozzles and thereafter supplied both with fresh solvent through the spray nozzles and with recovered solvent through the inlet port 58),

which flows through the compartments of the wash-pan in counter-current to the travel of the paper and is progressively heated to thereby progressively increase,its capacity to dissolve and hold in solution the material of the crystals formed in the coating film of the paper. After being so washed in the solvent, the paper is directed to the upper part of compartment 20 where it is wiped on its opposite sides by the wiper bars and then is sprayed with fresh solvent and re-wiped by the wiper-rolls first on one side' and then on the other. And, finally, the washed sprayed and wiped paper is conducted from the wash-pan to and through the drying chamber, in which it is dried and deodorized to a certain extent, and thence is returned to the other chamber of the tower where it is humidified and further heated, to further deodorize it, and is then reeled up.

It will, of course, be understood, that my new washing apparatus may be used in other connectionsand for other purposes, and that the several parts thereof may be variously modified in their structural details, or certain parts thereof be omitted entirely, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the substantial advantages of the invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In apparatus of the type described, the combination, with means for coating a continuous sheet with a solution containing a base material and a crystallizablematerial, of a heated tower divided into up and down flues through which the coated sheet is carried, an enclosed wash-pan associated with the top of the tower, means for diverting the coated sheet from the upper end of the up flue of the tower and passing it into and through the wash-pan and then returning it to the upper end of the down flue of the tower, means for continuously circulating a body of fluid crystal solvent through the wash-pan in contact with the coated sheet and in countercurrent tothe direction of its travel, and means for progressively heating the body of solvent as it circulates through the wash-pan.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, having included therewith means for wiping the coated sheet on leaving the circulating body of fluid crystal solvent. c

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, having included therewith means for spraying with additional fluid crystal solvent and means for wiping the coated sheet on leaving the circulating body of fluid crystal solvent.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, having included therewith a heated chamber through which the coated sheet is passed on leaving the wash-pan and before being returned to the down flue of the tower and which is provided with 75 means for exhausting hot air and fumes therefrom.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the wash-pan is divided from inner to outer end into .a plurality of transverse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height and the means for progressively heating the body of crystal solvent as it circulates therethrough are located between the walls of the partitions.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the wash-pan is divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height and the means for progressively heating the body of crystal solvent as it circulates therethrough are located between the walls of the partitions and in which there are included means for continuously withdrawing the used crystal solvent from the inner end of the wash-pan, treating it to separate out the crystalline matter held in solution therein, and return the recovered solvent to the outer end of the wash-pan for recirculation therethrough.

'7. Apparatus according to claim 1,'in which the wash-pan is divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by. double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height and the means for progressively heating the body of crystal solvent as it circulates theret'hrough are located between the walls of the partitions, and in which there are included both means for continuously withdrawing the used crystal solvent from the inner end of the wash-pan, treating it to separate out the crystalline matter held in solution therein, and return the recovered solvent to the outer end of the wash-pan for recirculation therethrough, and means for spraying with fresh crystal solvent the coated sheet after it leaves the circulating body of crystal solvent at the outer end of the wash-pan and in manner to add sprayed solvent to said circulating body of solvent.

8. Apparatus for removing from the coating of a continuous sheet crystalline matter contained therein, comprising an enclosed chamber divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by doube-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height, steam coils located between the walls of the compartments, means for introducing fluid crystal solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the chamber to thereby successively fill and thereafter cause a continuous flow of a body of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, and means for effecting the travel of the coated sheet first downwardly and then upwardly through said compartments successively and in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the fluid crystal solvent.

9. Apparatus for removing from the coating of a continuous sheet crystalline matter contained therein, comprising an enclosed chamber divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height, steam coils located between the walls of the compartments, means for introducing fluid crystal solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the chamber to thereby successively fill and thereafter cause a continuous flow of a body of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, means for effecting the travel of the coated sheet first downwardly and then upwardly through said compartments successively and in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the fluid crystal solvent, and means for spraying with additional crystal solvent and for wiping the sheet after it leaves the flowing body of solvent and in manner to add sprayed solvent to said flowing body of solvent.

10. Apparatus for removing from the coating of a continuous sheet crystalline matter contained therein, comprising an enclosed wash-pan divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressi ely greater height. steam coils located between the walls of the compartments. means for effecting a continuous circulation of a body of fluid crystal solvent through the several compartments of the washpan from, its outer to its inner end including means for treating the used solvent'withdrawn from the inner end of the wash-pan to separate out the crystalline matter held in solution therein and returning the recovered solvent to the outer end of the wash-pan for re-circulat-ion. therethrough, and means for effecting the travel of the coated sheet first downwardly and then upwardly through each of "the succcessive cornnartments in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the fluid crystal solvent.

verse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of progressively greater height, steam coils located between the walls of the compartments, means for eilecting a continuous circulation of a body of fluid crystal solvent through the several compartments of the washpan from its outer to its inner end including means for treating the used solvent withdrawn from the inner end of the wash-pan to separate out the crystalline matter held in solution therein and returning the recovered solvent to the outer end of the wash-pan for re-circulation therethrough, means for effecting the travel of the coated sheet first downwardly and then upwardly through each of the successive compartments in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the fluid crystal solvent, and means for spraying with fresh crystal solvent and for wiping the sheet after it leaves the circulating body of solvent and in manner to add sprayed solvent to said circulating bodyof solvent.

12. Apparatus for removing from the coating of a continuous sheet crystalline matter contained therein, comprising an enclosed wash-pan divided from'innerto outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by double-walled partitions closed at the top and of'progressively greater height, heating means located within the walls of the partitions. means for effecting a continuous flow of a fluid crystal solvent through the several compartments of the wash-pan including means for withdrawing the used solvent from the inner end of the wash-pan and after treating it to separate out the crystalline matter held in solution therein returning the recovered solvent to the outer end of the wash-pan for re-circulation tierethrough, means for causing the coated sheet to travel first downwardly .and then upwardly through said compartments successively and in a direction opposite to that of the flow of said solvent therethrough, and means for spraying the ill sheet with fresh crystal solvent after it leaves the flowing body of solvent and in manner to add sufficient sprayed solvent to said flowing body of solvent to maintain the volume thereof.

13, Apparatus of the type described comprising a wash-pan divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by transverse partitions of progressively greater height, means for introducing a fluid solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the wash-pan to thereby successively flll and thereafter cause a continuous flow of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, means for progressively heating the solvent as it flows through said compartments successively, a cover for the wash-pan, and means mounted on the cover for carrying a continuous sheetfirst downwardly andthen upwardly through each compartment of the wash-pan in succession and in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the solvent.

14. Apparatus of the type described comprising a wash-pan divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of transverse compartments by transverse partitions of progressively greater height, means for introducing a fluid solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the wash-pan to thereby successively fill and thereafter cause a continuous flow of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, means for progressively heating the solvent as it flows through said compartments successively, a cover for the wash-pan, and mounted on the cover means for carrying a continuous sheet first downwardly and then upwardly through the compartments of the wash-pan successively and in a direction opposite to that of the flow of the solvent and means for spraying and means for wiping the sheet after it emerges means for introducing into the outer end of the wash-pan suflicient fresh solvent to replace losses in, and inmanner to spray a sheet after leaving, said circulating body of solvent, and means for progressively heating said body of solvent as it circulates through said compartments successively. I

16. Apparatus of the type described comprising a wash-pan divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of compartments by transverse partitions of progressively greater height, means for introducing a supply of fluid solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the wash-pan to thereby successively fill and thereafter cause a flow of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, means for progressively heating the solvent as it flows through said compartments successively,

means for treating the solvent after leaving the inner end of 'the wash-pan to remove therefrom the material dissolved from a sheet while flowing through the compartments of the wash-pan and thereafter re-introducing it into the outer end of the wash-pan to re-circulate therethrough, and means for wiping, means for spraying with fresh fluid solvent, and means for rewiping the sheet located above and draining into the outermost compartment of the wash-pan.

1'7. Apparatus of the type described comprising a wash-pan divided from inner to outer end into a plurality of compartments by transverse partitions of progressively greater height, means for introducing a supply of fluid solvent into the outer end and for withdrawing the same from the inner end of the wash-pan to thereby successively fill and thereafter cause a flow of the solvent through the several compartments thereof, means for progressively heating the solvent as it flows through said compartments successively, means for treating the solvent after leaving the inner end of the wash-pan to remove therefrom the material dissolved from a sheet while flowing through the compartments of the wash-pan 

